Weekend Heller: It Can Happen Here!

It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis is a cautionary tale about how easy it would be for an imperfect storm of fear, anger and prejudice to topple American democracy. Lewis wrote during the Great Depression using the times and events to focus through political satire a chillingly realistic rise of a president who becomes a dictator to save the nation from welfare recipients, porno, crime and a liberal press.

Robbie Conal’s recent protest posters deliver the message “We can’t let Trump happen here.” However one feels about the outcome of the primaries, he says, “one choice is incredibly clear … there’s no way Donald J. Trump should be allowed anywhere near our house, much less the White House.”

Conal recently sent around the following: “My new poster campaign, ‘Bully Culprit/Can’t Even,’ is about Donald J. Trump, whom I consider to be a major threat to our country’s social and political values. I feel so strongly about Trump’s demagoguery—especially his appeals to hate, fear and prejudice—that I’ve made a double-sided street poster about him! With your help I’m hoping to get 1000’s of them printed, shipped and pasted up on the streets of America before the November election.”

Since printing, shipping, supplies and travel are costly, he is asking for help through donations to his GOFUNDME page: “I promise we’ll be out there practically every night, spattering ourselves with glue and doing our best to deliver the message.” Additionally, since he cannot personally get to every city, “I’m offering to send posters anywhere in the U.S., to those volunteers who are truly committed to getting them up in their area. From the East Coast to the West Coast, to the prairies, to Hawaii and Alaska—yes, even Alaska!”

About Steven Heller

Steven Heller is the co-chair of the SVA MFA Designer /Designer as Author + Entrepreneur program, writes frequently for Wired and Design Observer. He is also the author of over 170 books on design and visual culture. He received the 1999 AIGA Medal and is the 2011 recipient of the Smithsonian National Design Award.